It happened this week in 1913

May 10 – 16: Compiled by Dave Humphrey from the archived newspapers held at the Cranbrook History Centre and Archives

1913

Missing at Yahk … One of the western camps of the King Lumber company, was closed down last Monday and all the force turned out to engage in a man hunt.

On Friday the force at the camp were engaged in moving locations and a number of the men went into Yahk for one of the usual celebrations. A young man named Basil Thurott was among the party journeying to town. They had a number of drinks and late at night Thurott and a companion started for camp. En route they encountered an old shack and decided to remain for the night, rather than continue about four miles to camp. They lay down to sleep and in the morning when the companion awoke Thurott was gone. They looked for him around the shack and went on to camp, but the missing boy had not shown up.

He was not found on Sunday and all the men were laid off Monday to engage in the hunt, without success.

He was a young lad about 22 years of age and of good habits and well respected by all. His father is a wealthy merchant in New Brunswick and has been notified and is on his way here.

The boy evidently walked off in the middle of the night and whether he walked into the river and was drowned, or is lost in the woods is a mystery still unsolved.

Prefers matrimony to prison … Mike Rusma, of Hosmer, who was arrested on a charge of seduction some six weeks ago, and later released on six hundred dollars bail, was before His Honor Judge Thompson this morning.

He was found guilty of the offence and was given until two o’clock this afternoon to make up his mind whether he would be married or spend a term of years in prison.

When the hour came around he was on hand with the lady in question, they having decided to marry, but wishing to postpone the wedding until after pay day so that they could do it in proper style.

His honor agreed and Rusma will be wed before May 31st.

Hanson Block … Work of further excavation on the Hanson block commenced this week and will proceed until an elaborate well finished basement occupying the whole length of the block is com­pleted.

Inherits farm … James Hannet of Wasa, well known as stage driver and teamster for N. Hanson between Cranbrook and Wasa for several years past, re­ceived a letter this week from an aged aunt in Nottinghamshire, Eng­land, which conveyed the news that he had become heir to about £16,000 which would he obtainable about December next.

His aunt, who is 79 years of age, recently lost her husband, and James is urged in the letter to go home and run the es­tate which is five hundred acres of the choicest land in England.

He will go and will superintend the farm on which there are 160 milk cows. 500 head of sheep and 20 teams of horses, 12 men being required to operate same.

No C.P.R. Changes … Mr. George Bury, vice-president of the Canadian Pacific railway, in company with Mr. J. G. Sullivan, chief engineer, and the division officers, arrived in Cranbrook at 20:00 o’clock Friday night.

Interviewed by a representative of the Cranbrook Herald, after returning from a tour of the place with Mr. V. Hyde Baker, Mr. Bury stated that he was making one of his usual inspection trips to note the progress of the works the company had in hand, seeing for himself the service that was being given to the public and to note the condition of the country generally.

In response to an inquiry he stated that he was much impressed with the growth of Cranbrook and had great faith in its future.

He set at rest the rumors that had been floating around with respect to the company changing the divisional point, and said so far as he could see, Cranbrook was likely to be a divisional point for all time, and when the Kettle Valley line was linked up with the main line at Hope, that its importance would be still greater.

Asked as to the rumor that the company intended closing the back shops at Cranbrook, he stated that there was no truth in it, that the stall was increased or decreased, from time to time according as traffic warranted, but that there was no intention of making any appreciable reduction in the force now employed around Cranbrook.

Challenge … Jack Danial, of Chicago, Ill., do hereby challenge to box any man in Canada, any number of rounds at his own weight and terms. If there is any one in Cranbrook who would like to have a go with me I would like to hear from them at once, as my time in B.C. is limited. My weight is 170 pounds. Jack Danial. 702 London Building, Vancouver, B. C.

Council mulls conditions … Several roads have been graded, graveled and rolled, many holes have been filled up and roads have been, put in better shape generally. The cinder crossings have been levelled off taking out the hogbacks and rendering them smoother for driving over.

Owing to washouts the roads at several of the bridges have caved in, rendering repairs necessary, especially on the Baker Street Bridge and the bridges in Louis Street and Fenwick Avenue.

The whole of the bridges in the city are in bad shape and something should be done at once regarding the replacing of them with more solid and permanent structures, as serious accidents may occur if the bridges are left in their present state much longer.

The washouts referred to above are liable to repetition each season.

Considerable water has found its way in the basements of several houses on Edward Street and Martin Avenue. Upon investigating the matter the whole of the ground was found to be waterlogged, placing Mr. Alderman Carr’s house in considerable danger from settlement. It would appear that most of the water was surface water but in order to place beyond doubt as to the water being from leaks from the city mains, the main from the crown of the hill is being examined, the work being still in progress.

Up to the present three leaks have been discovered and repaired, one opposite Eberts Avenue, one on a joint opposite Martin Avenue, and one on the branch to the hydrant at the corner of Martin Avenue. These leaks are certainly not the source from whence the water comes, which gets in the basements up the hill, but are no doubt the cause of most of Mr. Carr’s trouble, his house being below the location of the leaks.

These leaks may be the cause of the abnormal saturation of the ground, especially if they have been of long duration as the ground would be saturated from the leak, which would cause the surface water to be held in suspension longer than the usual time for surface water to pass off.

Periodic visits have been made to the reservoir. As ranchers have been detected taking water from the reservoir it is suggested the gate should be locked, with boards placed in conspicuous places, warning trespassers they will be prosecuted.

It is understood some members of the committee visited the reservoir yesterday and found a man fishing from a log raft on the reservoir.

Pheasants released … Dr. G. B. Henderson, who has been successful in raising Chinese or English ring-necked pheasants, has turned loose eight of the birds, two cocks and six hens. The climatic conditions are favorable here and the birds should do well. In a few years pheasant shooting should be added to the list of outdoor sports in the Creston district.

Circus coming … “The Circus Different” is an expression which has this season been applied to the Al. G. Barnes Big Wild Animal Circus, which will give two performances in Cranbrook next Monday.

The words were printed, by a leading American daily and the paper gave us a reason for its being “different” from the usual circus, that the Barnes’ show offers an entirely original programme in the annals of tented entertainment.

The tiresome, worn out, acts so common to everyone have all been dropped and instead a programme bristling with new entertainment, instructive and sensational acts is presented.

More than three hundred and fifty trained wild and domestic animals take the prominent roles on the programme.

Animals from the jungles of the tropics — the lion, the big snake, elephants, tigers and leopards are introduced in the most amazing array of acts that thrill the lookerson through and through.

The show is under the personal direction of Col. Barnes, who is Canada’s greatest circus manager, he being a native of Ontario.

A brilliant street parade will be given at 10:30 a.m., which will immediately followed by a series of free acts and the opening of excellent side shows.

Boiler in ditch … While moving a large heavy boiler from a freight car at the C.P.R. tracks last Saturday to the new brick making yards of N. Hanson, the boiler rolled off the wagon into the creek on Van Horne Street. It was not injured or broken but ne­cessitated all the ingenuity and force of W. E. Worden, the City Transfer man, to load it again, the ground be­ing so soft under where the heavy boiler fell.

Five teams of horses and more men were on the job and progress had been made but a short way down Van Horne avenue when on approaching a culvert which had been heavily planked to bear the weight the roadway gave way allow­ing the wheels on the west side to sink and the heavy piece of machin­ery tipped over into a ditch a couple of feet below the road, the front por­tion of it resting in a creek, where the water is about a foot deep. The coats of the men were under the boil­er.

Horse races … At a meeting of the various committees in charge of the 24th of May racing meet held at the city hall on Friday night it was decided to cut out the matinee cup race for local horses and substitute a 2.25 pace or trot, adding $100 to the purse.

This move was necessary on account of the fact that enough local horses could not get in shape for the event and as an interesting race could not be held it was thought that the pub­lic were entitled to something better for their money and consequently the change.

The new race will be a further encouragement to outside horses to attend and should prove an interesting number of the programme.

The new race will be as follows: 2.25 trot or pace, open purse, $350.00, mile heats, 2 in 3, first prize, $175; second, $100; third, $75.

The two main harness races now carry purses aggregating $800, which ought to encourage the host of the outside horses coming here for the day.

Mothers’ Day … On Mother’s Day last year many letters were written to their mothers by men, and large numbers of our young men were given a red Carnation if his mother were living and a white one if she had passed away. “Mother’s Day” will be fittingly observed and many young men will be accommodated with paper and envelopes at the Y. M. C. A., the Salvation Army barracks, and some of the churches. “The mothers of our nation are our greatest source of wealth and power. If they are weak our armies will suffer defeat. If they are not true our commercial triumphs will cease. If they fail the country fails.”

Have you cleaned up? … Again we must ask — have you got your yards cleaned yet? The City will be better for the small effort and the health of the children during the summer months will be better assured by this little precaution.

Elko news … Nelson visitors to Elko last week as follows: Frank Werley, the wizard of the wet rag dance, selling grandma’s ginger snaps and one-eyed doughnuts; Cameron, of the 92nd Stewart McDonald Clan, selling ladies overalls with pink tulle and satin rosebuds round the edges; Walter Scott, who recently solved the riddle of the joy of life by marrying the Florence Nightingale of Nelson, selling fresh caramels and hot chocolate kisses; Lou Biriely, his hair all curly, all the same St. Matthews at the Towers, wearing a fleece-lined necktie, Lillian Russell suspenders and a smile the width of a saddle blanket, selling Welsey under clothing and Romeo nightshirts; Webster, with Robin Hood flour, and recipes for swatting flies. We are looking for Fred Starkey, the king-pin-of-Nelson next week.

Wardner news … Mr. John Whitely tells us that it will be necessary for him to have one of his legs amputated, as the member, through being diseased, is slowly poisoning his system. Mr. Whitely has been a sufferer for some time. His many friends regretfully learn the sad news and sincerely trust the operation will affect a cure.

Creston news … Mike Gleaser, an interdict, came before Guy Lowenberg, justice of the peace, on Tuesday, and refusing to state from whom he received liquor, was sentenced to thirty days in the provincial jail at Nelson. In the provincial police court on Friday before Guy Lowenberg, J.P., Sydney Poole, wholesale liquor dealer, was fined $100 and costs for selling liquor to a minor.

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